LIMPOPO – Three suspects aged between 21 and 45 were arrested during a foiled automatic teller machine (ATM) bombing in one of the banks at Jane Furse shopping complex.
The suspects were arrested following a car chase in Middelburg after a tip-off that the gang was planning an attack in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team assisted by Tactical Response Team members received intelligence about a plot. The team kept the area under surveillance.
Suddenly, there was an explosion sound coming from one of the banks at the shopping complex and a group of heavily armed suspects were spotted running away and the police gave chase.
Seeing that they were being chased, the suspects opened fire at the police and they retaliated. The team pursued the suspects until their gateway vehicle crashed into a wall in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.
The three suspects were arrested and the joint team managed to seize explosives, one firearm and a Toyoya Fortuner. One of the suspect is under police guard in hospital after sustaining injuries during the shootout.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects ambushed and held the security guards hostage at the shopping complex before blasting 5 ATMs with explosives. No money was taken during the act.
The two suspects will appear in the Jane Furse Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to face charges relating to armed robbery, malicious damaged to property, possession of explosives and possession of a firearm. The third suspect will be hauled to the same court once he has recuperated from his injuries.
